single degree

Graduate Certificate of the Repatriation of Ancestral Remains and Cultural Objects

A single graduate award offered by the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences

CRARC
  • Minimum 24 Units
  • Academic plan CRARC
  • Post Nominal GCReapration
  • CRICOS code NO CRICOS
  • Mode of delivery
    • In Person
  • Field of Education
    • Indigenous Studies
  • Academic contact
  • Minimum 24 Units
  • Academic plan CRARC
  • Post Nominal GCReapration
  • CRICOS code NO CRICOS
  • Mode of delivery
    • In Person
  • Field of Education
    • Indigenous Studies
  • Academic contact

Program Requirements

The Graduate Certificate in Repatriation requires completion of 24 units, which must consist of:

6 units from completion of the compulsory course:

MUSC8019 Repatriation: Principles, Policy and Practice


18 units from completion of courses from the following list:

MUSC8022 Restitution, Social Justice and Museums

MUSC8006 Indigenous Collections and Exhibitions

MUSC8004 Internship 1

MUSC8009 Museums and Heritage Research Project

HUMN8036 Restitution and the archive? Using Archives and Special Collections

Capstone Courses

[MUSC8019]

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 4/7; Or

A minimum of evidenced 3 years senior experience in repatriation practice with a Community organisation, GLAM sector organisation, or government agency.


All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

Credit Granted

Applicants who have completed a degree in a cognate discipline from a recognised university may be eligible to receive coursework credit towards this degree, in line with the ANU Coursework Award Rules.

Cognate Disciplines

Indigenous Studies; Heritage and Museum Studies

Domestic Tuition Fees (DTF)

For more information see: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/costs-fees

Annual indicative fee for international students
$24,015.00

For further information on International Tuition Fees see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments/international-tuition-fees

Fee Information

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

From the earliest days of colonisation, Indigenous ancestral remains were taken from funerary sites and sent to museums worldwide. The theft and scientific misuse of First Nations bodily remains was a colonial violence, the impact of which continue today. Historically, Indigenous people opposed the theft of their ancestors when they could. From the 1970s the global repatriation movement began to emerge when First Nations, particularly in Australia, New Zealand, and North America started campaigning globally for the return of their ancestors and cultural objects. In some countries this prompted unprecedented change in museum policies and the teaching and practice of associated disciplines. Repatriation can play a fundamental role in healing and reconciliation. Today, repatriation of ancestral remains and cultural objects continues to be a key priority for Indigenous peoples in Australia and overseas.


As repatriation activity accelerates in Australia and overseas, this unique Graduate Certificate addresses an acute need for significant capacity building and advanced knowledge in the repatriation of Indigenous ancestral remains and cultural materials.  As well as a rapidly increasing interest in repatriation as a topic of research in museum and heritage studies, repatriation is quickly becoming core business for museums, governments, and Indigenous community organisations. Applied and scholarly research in repatriation is mutually inclusive. In order to undertake repatriation work successfully, an understanding of its context and history is essential, with a priority on Indigenous perspectives, histories, knowledges and approaches. Taught by an Indigenous and non-Indigenous team with extensive expertise in repatriation research and practice, the Graduate Certificate fills a distinct gap in availability of programs dedicated to this important and transformative issue.

Career Options

ANU ranks among the world's very finest universities. Our nearly 100,000 alumni include political, business, government, and academic leaders around the world.

We have graduated remarkable people from every part of our continent, our region and all walks of life.

This program is available for applications to commence from First Semester, 2024

Employment Opportunities

These include the GLAM sector, Federal and State Governments, International Organizations and Inter-Governmental agencies, First Nations organisations, NGOs and private sector companies (e.g. heritage consultancies, auction houses etc.).

Learning Outcomes

  1. demonstrate a broad knowledge of the removal and return of ancestral remains and cultural material, relevant policies, and provenance research;
  2. demonstrate a critical and contextual understanding of practical and research skills required for successful repatriation;
  3. reflect critically on the history of the removal and scientific use of First Nations ancestral remains and cultural objects and the rise of repatriation as a global movement; and
  4. display cross-cultural leadership skills through engagement with self-reflective inquiry.
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